A Student Halted for being Converted to Christianity in Nigeria

Nabila Umar Sanda a young Nigerian woman who aged 19 was arrested previous week. She had been studying in Bingham University in Karu which is in Nasarawa. Evangelical Church Winning All owned this university.

Nabila had a male Christian friend Simput Dafup who 33 years old lecturer at her university. Dafup guided her to see Jeremiah Datim who was a priest at a local church. After meeting that priest Nabila showed her keenness in Christianity.

Datim the preacher told to the media that when Nabila expressed her fondness for conversion to Christianity he immediately contacted the local Islamic organization Jama’atu Nasril lslam (JNI) as per custom. He further told that since he knew that is was a sensitive issue of conversion he also informed the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Later the evangelist Datim went to see JNI leader who contacted Nabila’s parents earlier to know the situation. Datim then said that on 8 January some officers from the Department of State Security Services raided his home arrested his family members including his wife, daughter and 8 months old baby. Moreover they forcefully took Nabila with them.

Later the Christian lecturer identified as engineer Simput Dafup who led Nabila to Christianity in the university was arrested and forces took both of them to some alien site.

Though in Nigeria religious conversion is not illegal then Nabila and Dafup’s arrest has no meaning, said Datim. Nabila is mature enough to choose religion of her choice. She was inclined to convert to Christian faith and ready to confront problems may cause troubles on her way, he added.

Nabila’s father openly threatened Datim for converting his daughter. Her father reported to DSS (Department of Security Service) and alleged him for abduction and forceful conversion of Nabila which is at all a lie.

Dafup’s mother, Lydia who is a widow told to media that her son was forcefully taken by armed men who came in five vehicles on the same day when Nabila got vanished. She begged the journalists for bringing her son back to her because she has no information of him yet.